A special court in Gopalganj has sentenced two men to death and another to life imprisonment over the sensational abduction and murder of a 12-year-old boy in the district.

Judicial Magistrate Mohammad Morshed Alam of the Gopalganj Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal and Special Sessions Judge Court handed down the verdict on Wednesday afternoon. In addition to the custodial sentences, the court imposed a fine of 50,000 Bangladeshi taka on each of the three convicted individuals, with an additional one-year prison sentence in default of payment.

The two convicts handed capital punishment—whose identities were confirmed alongside co-defendants during the trial proceedings—were present in the dock when the judgment was pronounced. However, Shaon Mullah, who received a life sentence, was tried in absentia and remains on the run. A fourth accused in the case, Leyakat Ali Mullah, was fully acquitted of all charges due to a lack of incriminating evidence.

The tragic incident dates back to 22 February 2025 in Chandradighalia village, located within Gopalganj Sadar sub-district. Twelve-year-old Talha, also known as Muhin, the son of local resident Manjurul Islam, went missing after leaving home to watch local fishermen catch fish. When the child failed to return, anxious family members conducted searches across nearby villages and public areas, but found no trace of him.

Two days after his disappearance, on the night of 24 February, law enforcement personnel recovered Muhin’s body hidden inside a metal trunk in the room of Amin Uddin, a tenant living on property owned by Manjurul Islam. The grim discovery shocked the local community and led to immediate law enforcement action.

Following the recovery of the body, the victim’s father filed a murder case naming four individuals as primary suspects. Investigators compiled physical evidence and forensic reports, leading to a trial that spanned several months.

Reacting to the verdict, the victim’s father expressed his relief at the court’s decision, calling on state authorities to execute the sentences swiftly to ensure justice for his son. State Prosecutor Advocate Toufiqul Islam commended the judgment, noting that the tribunal acted on concrete circumstantial and forensic evidence, reinforcing public trust in the judicial system.

Conversely, defence advocate M Zulkadar Rahman announced plans to challenge the ruling in a higher court. Pointing to the absence of direct eyewitnesses to the killing, the defence team expressed confidence that the High Court Division would review the evidence and overturn the conviction upon appeal.